City of Fort Collins Signs Emergency Order Requiring Masks

Starting Monday, face masks will be required almost everywhere in the City of Fort Collins.

According to a press release Friday (May 1), City Manager Darin Atteberry signed an emergency order authorizing the face covering requirement in all public enclosed spaces. If you don't wear a mask where required, you can be charged with a misdemeanor. If you're a person in charge of a property where face masks are required and you don't enforce the order, you can also be charged.

Last week, we reported that all Northern Colorado Costco locations would be requiring masks for employees and shoppers. Friday night, the City of Fort Collins made it official for almost all buildings, public transportation and businesses that are open to the public.

Any enclosed area, including retail and commercial businesses or on-site service providers, to which the public is invited or in which workers, including volunteers, from more than one household are present,

Any City of Fort Collins building or indoor City facility;

Any public transportation, including City Transfort buses and bus shelters; or

Any other public indoor place where persons are unable to maintain safe social distancing (six or more feet separation) from others not of their own household.

Exemptions to the order include:

Persons under the age of 10 years or children within a childcare facility;

Persons for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition documented by a medical professional;

Persons working in an office or other workspace who do not have any face-to-face interactions with or share workspace with other persons;

If the person is undergoing a medical or dental procedure that requires access to the person’s mouth or nose;

Property owned or operated by the federal, state or county governments; and

Persons who are customers of banks, financial institutions, and pawn shops. However, employees of these places must still wear face coverings.